Theft of Over 100 Reflector Lights from Maulana Bhasani Bridge After Electric Cables Stolen

Over 100 reflector lights (highlighted in red circles) have been stolen from the Maulana Bhasani Bridge, built over the Teesta River in Sundarganj, Gaibandha. Following the theft of electric cables from the bridge’s streetlights, this latest incident of reflector light theft occurred on Saturday night, though the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) authorities were informed about it on Sunday.

Local residents have alleged that the negligence of concerned officials has led to consecutive thefts of electric cables and reflector lights. As a result, vehicle movement on the bridge and security in the area have been compromised. Despite the expenditure of hundreds of crores of taka on the bridge’s construction, basic security measures are absent. After dusk, the entire bridge and several kilometers of connecting roads on both sides plunge into darkness. Although police patrol the bridge during the day following the cable theft, no police presence is reported at night.

On Monday afternoon, Gaibandha LGED Executive Engineer Ujjwal Chowdhury stated over the phone that approximately 150 reflector lights were installed on the railings on both sides of the bridge. These lights glow when vehicle headlights fall on them. Of these, over 100 reflector lights have been stolen. Personnel have been dispatched to count the exact number of stolen lights. The matter has been reported to the police. A case regarding the theft of electric cables from the bridge’s lampposts has already been filed at Sundarganj Police Station. On the night of Thursday, the day after the bridge’s inauguration on August 20, approximately 300 meters of electric cables for the bridge’s streetlights were stolen after digging up the ground. In response, the bridge’s security guard, Nur-e-Alam, filed a theft case at Sundarganj Police Station on Friday night, naming several unidentified individuals as accused. Sundarganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Abdul Hakim Azad said the theft case is being investigated with utmost importance. Efforts are underway to recover the stolen electric cables and reflector lights, and attempts are being made to identify the theft syndicate. Additionally, police patrols have been arranged in the bridge area to prevent traffic congestion and enhance overall security. A temporary police camp will be established soon, and an application for a permanent camp has also been submitted. The 1,490-meter-long and 9.6-meter-wide bridge was constructed at a cost of Tk 925 crore. Funded by the Government of Bangladesh (GoB), the Saudi Fund for Development (SFD), and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID), the bridge was implemented by LGED. It connects Haripurghat in Sundarganj Upazila of Gaibandha to Chilmari Upazila of Kurigram, reducing the distance from Kurigram to Dhaka by approximately 65 kilometers and from Chilmari by about 93 kilometers.